International Relations

The Commerce Commission is part of a global network of similar competition law enforcement and regulatory agencies.

Participating in international liaison programmes allows the Commission to both learn from and contribute to other agencies’ knowledge about common issues.

The Commission has entered into a number of international agreements with overseas agencies that have responsibility for enforcement of comparable competition and consumer protection laws.

These agreements generally provide for co-operation between the agencies on matters of common interest, including:

  • notification relating to activities that impact on the other jurisdiction;
  • co-ordination of enforcement activities;
  • exchange of information in certain circumstances; and
  • joint educational programmes and publications.

The Commission also participates regularly in other international activities, such as conferences, forums and working groups and global publications, which enhance understanding and cooperation between competition and regulatory agencies.

Supporting Documents

Agreement with the United Kingdom and Australia

(1 document)

ACCC, NZCC, and OFT - Cooperation Arrangement: Application of Competition and Consumer Laws Adobe Acrobat PDF (873 KB) (opens in a new window)
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, the Commerce Commission in New Zealand and Her Majesty’s Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and the Office of Fari Trading (OFT) in the United Kingdom (hereinafter referred to as the “participants”) note that:

The purpose of this Arrangement is to promote cooperation and coordination among the Participants.

Agreement with Taiwan and Australia

(1 document)

ACCC, NZCC, and TFCC - Cooperation Arrangement Adobe Acrobat PDF (349 KB) (opens in a new window)
This arrangement is to replace and supersede the existing operation of the “Co-Operation and Co-Ordination Arrangement between the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office and the New Zealand Commerce and Industry Office Regarding the Application of the Competition and Far Trading Laws”. Accordingly, the “Co-Operation and Co-Ordination Arrangement between the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office and the New Zealand Commerce and Industry Office Regarding the Application of the Competition and Fair Trading Laws” will be terminated on the date that this Arrangement comes into effect.

Agreement with Canada and Australia

(1 document)

CCC, ACCC and NZCC – Cooperation Arrangment: Application of Competition and Consumer Laws Adobe Acrobat PDF (198 KB) (opens in a new window)

Agreements with Australia

(3 documents)

ACCC and NZCC - Cooperation Protocol for Merger Review Adobe Acrobat PDF (19 KB) (opens in a new window)
This Cooperation Protocol for Merger Review is designed to assist cooperation in merger review between the ACCC and NZCC consistent with the Australian and New Zealand government’s shared objective of streamlining the trans-Tasman business environment.
ACCC and NZCC - Cooperation Protocol for Merger Review Adobe Acrobat PDF (81 KB) (opens in a new window)
This document outlines a protocol for cooperation between the ACCC and NZCC in relation to merger review.1 The ACCC and the NZCC will seek to apply this protocol to the greatest possible extent, consistent with their priorities, aims, functions and respective laws, interests and enforcement responsibilities
ACCC and NZCC - Cooperation Agreement Adobe Acrobat PDF (384 KB) (opens in a new window)
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and the New Zealand Commerce Commission (herein referred to as the “Parties”) share the view that the sound and effective administration of the Parties’ competition, consumer and regulatory functions are enhanced by cooperation and coordination between the Parties.

International Competition Network Template

(1 document)

Anti-Cartels Enforcement Template April 2009 - Working Group Enforcement Techniques Adobe Acrobat PDF (114 KB) (opens in a new window)
This template is intended to provide information for the ICN member competition agencies about each other’s legislation concerning hardcore cartels. At the same time the template supplies information for businesses participating in cartel activities about the rules applicable to them; moreover, it enables businesses which suffer from cartel activity to get information about the possibilities of lodging a complaint in one or more jurisdictions.

2006 OECD Roundtable

(3 documents)

OECD Rountable - Plea Bargaining/Settlement of Cartel Cases Adobe Acrobat PDF (87 KB) (opens in a new window)
New Zealand’s Commerce Commission (the Commission) has in recent years adopted Leniency and Co-operation Policies with the aim of encouraging cartel participants to self-report, and to obtain their assistance in the prosecution of cartel cases.
OECD - Evidentiary Issues In Merger Review: NZ Submission October 2006 Adobe Acrobat PDF (55 KB) (opens in a new window)
New Zealand’s primary competition legislation, the Commerce Act 1986 (‘the Act’), provides for a voluntary notification regime for business acquisitions. If a proposed acquisition is likely to raise competition concerns under the Act, prospective acquirers of assets of a business or shares may either:
OECD Roundtable - Competition Issues in Bidding Markets: New Zealand Adobe Acrobat PDF (131 KB) (opens in a new window)
“Bidding markets” are quite often encountered in the New Zealand Commerce Commission’s merger adjudication and competition enforcement work. These essentially are markets where some sort of bidding process is used to determine price. A seller invites buyers to bid for the offered product, where generally the highest bid wins; or more commonly, in a procurement auction, a buyer invites suppliers to bid for the right to supply it with a product or service, where generally the lowest bid (or more strictly, the lowest quality-adjusted bid) wins.